Meg - Perks of the Job

Before the whole cancer thing kicked off I was preparing to come over to work the Surrey Hills Challenge. One of the perks of the job was trialling some new running gear from Aussie Grit which Nancy sent over to Singapore for me to test prior to the event.

It didn’t happen! The items were pushed to one side in my wardrobe during diagnosis but I then dug them out when I started walking during my surgical recovery.

I was a little bit nervous about how much skin I was exposing (those of you that read my Couch to 5k blog will know that my thighs are a problem area) but, as soon as I tried the shorts on, I fell in love.

The built-in cycle short is a good length and hugs the leg, more importantly, it doesn’t move or ride up when active. The over short is so light that you can’t feel it but is a great length that covers all the problem areas, especially the cellulite at the back.

I am especially happy at where the waist sits, I am naturally big around the hips and the waist height means it sits nicely, does not ride down and also looks very flattering. I don’t like anything pressing on my abdomen at the moment and the waistband sits higher on the waist than all other shorts I have tried, clearing my surgical site by a good distance. A surprising and welcome benefit!

The shorts have two pockets, one with a secure zip at the back in the waistband and a bonus pocket in the cycling short that easily holds a phone etc. To be honest I haven’t used these as I make my husband carry everything at the moment.

I have to confess, I am in danger of becoming a sports casual wearer as I find myself wearing the shorts around the house, a lot. I can confirm they are SO comfortable and give freedom when sitting, lying, sleeping, walking, cooking, baking and vacuuming….

There was only one option I was going to choose regarding the tops as I most definitely don’t need shells, gilets, or long sleeves in a tropical climate so it was just a case of choosing the colour. My face takes on a nice red/blue hue when running so I opted for the chalk top to neutralize the look. The running top is so lightweight that I actually looked down mid-run to make sure I had put the top on over my training bra (chemo brain does exist and I wouldn’t have put it past me to forget small things like this at the moment).

There was no rubbing, catching, brushing against skin. It literally was like a second skin.

I hadn’t actually put a lot of thought into my sportswear before now opting for the cheap and cheerful £10 rack at shops that clearly do not specialise in active wear or the sales rack in branded sports shops. Having worn proper running clothes for the first time, I’m a convert.

I didn’t need to worry about pulling on various parts of my anatomy mid-run to make sure I was decently covered and just being confident in what I was wearing gave me a better and more open running posture. I also can’t believe I haven’t been running in breathable fabric before now!

Originally, when I ordered the outfit I went for a size large, I prefer a bigger fit as opposed to a snug fit and I was a ‘comfortable’ UK size 14. Due to surgery, a high fibre diet, not drinking for five months (something I initiated pre-diagnosis) and chemo, I would probably place myself as a size small now (but likely to order a medium for the room, old habits).

Despite this, whilst the clothes may look a bit big, the lightweight nature of the fabric means I am still not experiencing the need to adjust the clothing when running, there is definitely room for my meat to return though.

The jury is out on whether the lightweight clothes or the lack of current insulation on the head prevented my usual overheating but I am loving Aussie Grit running kit.